Electronic device and content display method thereof

ABSTRACT

An electronic device and a content display method are provided. A content display method of an electronic device includes displaying an application in the electronic device; and changing a content display mode of the application, when a detected battery consumption of the application exceeds a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application.

PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 14/731,822, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) onJun. 5, 2015, which is a Continuation-In-Part Application of U.S.application Ser. No. 14/297,225, filed in the USPTO on Jun. 5, 2014,which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean ApplicationSerial Nos. 10-2013-0064521 and 10-2014-0005031, which were filed in theKorean Intellectual Property Office on Jun. 5, 2013 and Jan. 15, 2014,respectively, the entire content of each of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an electronic device and acontent display method thereof, and more specifically, to an electronicdevice and a content display method thereof, which change a contentdisplay mode in response to a threshold logical battery capacityassigned to an application.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, electronic devices using a battery, such as portablecomputers, mobile phones, smart phones, and the like, have increased innumber with the development of electronic technologies. Batteryinformation according to a charged or discharged state of the batteryplays an important role in using the electronic devices. For example, inthe electronic devices, residual battery capacity informationrepresenting how much battery capacity is left is important for storingcurrently processed data or protecting the electronic device before thebattery thereof is discharged. Further, the residual battery capacityinformation is important for predicting how long a user can continue touse the electronic devices. Accordingly, today's electronic devicesemploy various methods for providing the battery information to users.

Electronic devices such as portable computers, mobile phones, smartphones, and the like can provide numerous functions and canindependently perform each of the functions. The functions may beprovided in an application form. However, the electronic devices haveonly one battery supplying electrical power for the functions. Thus, ifthe battery is completely consumed when a user uses one function of theelectronic device, the user cannot use other functions.

For example, in an electronic device having a telephone function, aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) function, and a web-browser function,when a user wants to use the telephone function after the web-browserfunction, if a battery thereof is completely consumed, the user cannotuse the telephone function. Accordingly, the user should be able topredict in advance the residual battery capacity for each of thefunctions. However, it is difficult to check the residual batterycapacity that is needed for each of the functions through the entirebattery residual capacity.

Normally, residual battery capacity information is displayed aspercentage, e.g., 50%, and/or as an image representing the residualbattery capacity information, e.g., an image of a battery half full, ona status bar of a screen of the electronic devices.

Further, various methods are being developed for reducing batteryconsumption of electronic devices having a large display and supportinga high resolution. For example, in order to reduce the batteryconsumption of the electronic devices, a brightness of a screen may beautomatically changed according to a residual battery capacity. Inaddition, when there is no user input for a predetermined period oftime, the electronic devices may turn off their screens.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made to address the above-identifiedproblems and disadvantages, and to provide at least advantages describedbelow.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide anelectronic device and a method of providing battery information by anelectronic device, in which a battery in the electronic device ispartitioned into logical batteries according to functions so that a usercan allocate a logical battery capacity according to the functions ofthe electronic device.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an electronicdevice and a method of providing battery information of an electronicdevice in which a battery in an electronic device is partitioned intological batteries, and a function is automatically allocated to thelogical batteries according to a user's use history, for example,according to functions used by the user and use time thereof, so that abattery capacity can be preferentially allocated to the frequently oressentially used functions or the preferred functions.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an electronicdevice and a method of providing battery information of an electronicdevice, in which a residual capacity for each of logical batteries isdisplayed according to power consumption used by each of functionsallocated to the partitioned logical batteries, so that a user canidentify the residual battery capacity according to the functions.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a content displaymethod is provided for an electronic device. The content display methodincludes displaying an application in the electronic device; andchanging a content display mode of the application, when a detectedbattery consumption of the application exceeds a threshold logicalbattery capacity assigned to the application.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a contentdisplay method is provided for an electronic device. The content displaymethod includes storing application battery assignment informationincluding a name of an application, a logical battery capacity assignedto the application, a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to theapplication, and a content display mode change; displaying theapplication in the electronic device; and changing the content displaymode of the application, when a detected battery consumption of theapplication exceeds the logical battery capacity. The logical batterycapacity of the application is the same as the threshold logical batterycapacity of the application.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electronicdevice is provided, which includes a touch screen that displays anapplication; and a controller that changes a content display mode of theapplication, when a calculated battery consumption of the applicationexceeds a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to theapplication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certainembodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobileterminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the mobile terminal according tothe embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal according tothe embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a configuration of a logical batterymanaging unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating operations of partitioning a batteryinto logical batteries and allocating functions or applications to thelogical batteries according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate an example of a logical battery partition screenaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate an example of a screen for allocation offunctions or applications to logical batteries according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A-8B illustrate an example of a screen for displaying logicalbattery indicators according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating operations of partitioning a batteryinto logical batteries and allocating applications to the logicalbatteries by using a use history of functions or applications accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate examples of an application use historyaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating operations of displaying a capacityof logical batteries according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 13A-13B illustrate an example of a screen on which residualcapacities of logical batteries are displayed according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating operations of adjusting a logicalbattery according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 15A-15B illustrate an example of a logical battery adjustmentscreen according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating operations of allocating at leastone application to logical batteries according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 17A-17B illustrate screens for allocating a category and anapplication, respectively, to logical batteries according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating operations of displaying applicationicons on a home screen according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 19A-19C illustrates examples of a home screen according toembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating operations when at least one or morelogical batteries are discharged according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 21A-21B and 22A-22C illustrate examples of a screen when at leastone or more logical batteries are discharged according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIGS. 23A-23B illustrate a logical battery resetting screen according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a content display method of anelectronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a method of configuring a contentdisplay mode of an application, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 26A to 26C illustrate examples of a screen of an electronic deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 26D to 26F illustrate examples of a screen of an electronic deviceaccording to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 27A to 27G illustrate an example of registering an application incontacts of an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.Further, the methods of manufacturing and using the present inventionwill be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. Thesame reference numerals represented in each of the drawings indicate theelements or the components that perform substantially the samefunctions.

Although ordinal terms such as “first” and “second” may be used todescribe various elements, these elements are not to be limited by theseterms. These terms are used merely for the purpose of distinguishing anelement from another element. For example, without departing from thescope of the present invention, a first structural element may bereferred to as a second structural element. Similarly, the secondstructural element also may be referred to as the first structuralelement.

As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations ofone or more associated items.

An application indicates software that is used by a user while beingexecuted on a computer Operating System (OS) or a mobile OS. Forexample, the application may include a word processor application, aspread sheet application, a contact application, a calendar application,a memo application, an alarm application, a Social Network System (SNS)application, a chatting application, a map application, a music playerapplication, or a video player application.

Further, an application may also include software executed in anelectronic device or an external device (e.g., a server) connected tothe electronic device in a wireless or wired manner.

In addition, an application may also include software executed in theelectronic device in response to a received user input.

Content may be displayed in an executed application. For example,content may include a video or audio reproduced in a video playerapplication, audio reproduced in a music player application, a photodisplayed in a photo gallery application, a web page displayed in a webbrowser application, etc. The content may also include audio, a video,text, an image, or a web page that is displayed or executed in anothertype of application.

The term “video” used herein may be used as the same meaning as a movingimage.

The content may include audio, a video, text, an image, or a web pagethat is executed in response to a received user input (e.g., a touch,etc.). The content includes an executed application screen and a userinterface constituting the application screen. In addition, the contentmay also include one or more pieces of content.

A widget indicates a mini-application that is one of Graphic UserInterfaces (GUIs) for more effectively supporting an interaction betweena user and an application or an OS. Examples of the widget include aweather widget, a calculator widget, a clock widget, etc.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, changing acontent display mode on a screen of an application to which a logicalbattery is assigned may be implemented by a separate application and/oran OS. Alternatively, changing a content display mode on a screen of anapplication to which a logical battery is assigned may be implemented byseparate hardware.

Further, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,changing a content display mode on a screen of an application to which alogical battery is assigned may be implemented by a combination ofhardware and software (e.g., an application), and/or by a combination ofhardware, software (e.g., an application), and an OS.

Herein, a content display mode change indicates a change from a firstcontent display mode of a running application to a second contentdisplay mode of running application, wherein in the second contentdisplay mode battery consumption can be reduced.

Herein, terms that are used to describe an embodiment of the presentinvention are not intended to limit and/or restrict the scope of presentinvention. For example, as used herein, singular forms are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. Terms such as “include” and/or “have” may be construed todenote a certain characteristic, a number, a step, an operation, aconstituent element, a component or a combination thereof, but may notbe construed to exclude the existence of or a possibility of addition ofone or more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations,constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide an electronicdevice and a content display method that change a content display modeof an application, when calculated battery consumption exceeds anapplication threshold logical battery capacity of pre-stored applicationbattery assignment information.

In addition, various embodiments of the present invention provide anelectronic device and a content display method that increase a use timeof an application in response to a changed content display mode of theapplication, when calculated battery consumption exceeds an applicationthreshold logical battery capacity of pre-stored application batteryassignment information.

Without being limited thereto, various embodiments of the presentinvention also provide an electronic device and a content display methodthat change a content display mode of an application, when batteryconsumption exceeds a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to theapplication.

As described above, according to the various embodiments of the presentinvention, a battery in an electronic device is partitioned into logicalbatteries according to functions or applications so that a user canallocate a logical battery capacity according to the functions orapplications of the electronic device.

Furthermore, according to the various embodiments of the presentinvention, a battery in an electronic device is partitioned into logicalbatteries, and functions are automatically allocated to the logicalbatteries according to a user's use history, for example, according tofunctions used by the user and use time thereof, so that a batterycapacity can be preferentially allocated to frequently or essentiallyused functions or the preferred functions.

Furthermore, according to the various embodiments of the presentinvention, a residual capacity for each of logical batteries isdisplayed according to power consumption used by each of the functionsor applications allocated to the partitioned logical batteries so that auser can identify the residual battery capacity according to thefunctions or applications.

Moreover, according to the various embodiments of the present invention,one application or a category containing at least one or moreapplications is allocated to the partitioned logical batteries, so thatthe logical batteries can be used for one application or a plurality ofapplications corresponding to the same category.

In addition, according to the various embodiments of the presentinvention, among icons to be displayed on a home screen, icons ofapplications which are not allocated to the logical batteries aredeactivated or are not displayed, so that usage of the applicationswhich are not allocated to the logical batteries can be restricted.

Furthermore, according to the various embodiments of the presentinvention, when a logical battery is discharged, execution of anapplication corresponding to the discharged logical battery isinterrupted, thereby restricting usage of the application such that theapplication can be used only for a time period corresponding to thecapacity of the logical battery. For example, in a case in which a gameapplication is allocated to one of logical batteries, if the logicalbattery is completely consumed, execution of the game application isinterrupted, thereby restricting usage of the game application such thatthe game application can be used only for a time period corresponding tothe predetermined capacity of the logical battery.

Embodiments of the present invention may be applied to any electronicdevice capable of performing functions or applications and receivingpower from a battery. For example, an electronic device according to anembodiment of the present invention may be a user terminal such as amobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet Personal Computer (PC), or thelike. A mobile terminal will be described as an example of theelectronic device in the embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobileterminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referringto FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 100 may be connected with an externaldevice by using a mobile communication module 120, a sub-communicationmodule 130, and a connector 165. The “external device” includes adifferent device from the mobile terminal 100, a mobile phone, a smartphone (not illustrated), a tablet PC, and a server.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 100 includes a touch screen 190and a touch screen controller 195. Also, the mobile terminal 100includes a controller 110, the mobile communication module 120, thesub-communication module 130, a multimedia module 140, a camera module150, a GPS module 155, an input/output module 160, a sensor module 170,a storage unit 175, and a power supply unit 180. The sub-communicationmodule 130 includes at least one of a wireless Local Area Network (LAN)module 131 and a short range communication module 132, and themultimedia module 140 includes at least one of a broadcast communicationmodule 141, an audio reproduction module 142, and a video reproductionmodule 143. The camera module 150 includes at least one of a firstcamera 151 and a second camera 152, and the input/output module 160includes at least one of a button 161, a microphone 162, a speaker 163,a vibration motor 164, a connector 165, a keypad 166, an earphone jack167, and an input unit 168.

The controller 110 includes a Central Processor Unit (CPU) 111, a ReadOnly Memory (ROM) 112 storing control programs for controlling themobile terminal 100, and a Random Access Memory (RAM) 113 which storessignals or data input from the outside of the mobile terminal 100 or isused as a memory region for an operation executed in the mobile terminal100. The CPU 111 may include a single core, a dual core, a triple core,or a quad core. The CPU 111, the ROM 112 and the RAM 113 may beconnected with each other through internal buses.

The controller 110 controls the mobile communication module 120, thesub-communication module 130, the multimedia module 140, the cameramodule 150, the GPS module 155, the input/output module 160, the sensormodule 170, the storage unit 175, the power supply unit 180, the touchscreen 190, and the touch screen controller 195. Namely, the controller110 performs an overall control function for the mobile terminal 100,and controls signal flows between the above-described configurations.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, thecontroller 110 partitions a battery into at least one or more logicalbatteries, sets a capacity of the at least one or more logicalbatteries, and allocates functions or applications to the at least oneor more logical batteries. Furthermore, the controller 110 displaysindicators for the at least one or more logical batteries to which thefunctions or applications are allocated. Moreover, the controller 110determines a capacity of the logical batteries by using a use history ofthe functions or applications, and allocates at least one or moreapplications to the at least one or more logical batteries according toa use history of the applications. In addition, the controller 110calculates residual capacities for the at least one or more logicalbatteries by using power consumption used by the functions orapplications allocated to the at least one or more logical batteries,and displays the residual capacities for the at least one or morelogical batteries. Furthermore, when any one of the logical batteries isdischarged, the controller 110 interrupts execution of an applicationcorresponding to the discharged logical battery. Moreover, thecontroller 110 may add or delete a logical battery, and may changecapacities of the logical batteries. In addition, the controller 110performs a control such that a category including at least one or moreapplications or one application is allocated to the logical batteries.According to the various embodiments of the present invention, thecontroller 110 may not display or may deactivate icons of applicationswhich are not allocated to the logical batteries, among icons to bedisplayed on a home screen when the home screen is displayed, and maynot display an icon of an application allocated to a discharged logicalbattery. Furthermore, when at least one or more logical batteries aredischarged, the controller 110 displays an alert message and interruptsexecution of applications corresponding to the discharged logicalbatteries. Moreover, when at least one or more logical batteries aredischarged, the controller 110 displays a password input requestmessage, and may change to a general battery operation mode or may resetthe logical batteries when a password is input.

The mobile communication module 120 enables the mobile terminal 100 tobe connected with an external device through mobile communication byusing one antenna or a plurality of antennas under the control of thecontroller 110. The mobile communication module 120 transmits/receives awireless signal for a voice call, a video call, a Short Message Service(SMS), or a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) to/from a mobile phone, asmart phone, a tablet PC, or another device, which has a phone numberinput into the mobile terminal 100.

The sub-communication module 130 includes at least one of the wirelessLAN module 131 and the short-range communication module 132. Forexample, the sub-communication module 130 may include only the wirelessLAN module 131, or only the short range communication module 132.Alternatively, the sub-communication module 130 may include both thewireless LAN module 131 and the short range communication module 132.

The wireless LAN module 131 may be connected to the Internet under thecontrol of the controller 110 in a place where a wireless Access Point(AP) is installed. The wireless LAN module 131 supports a wireless LANstandard (IEEE802.11x) of the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE). The short range communication module 132 maywirelessly perform short range communication between the mobile terminal100 and an image forming device under the control of the controller 110.The short range communication scheme may include Bluetooth and InfraredData Association (IrDA) communication The mobile terminal 100 mayinclude at least one of the mobile communication module 120, thewireless LAN module 131, and the short range communication module 132according to a capability thereof. For example, the mobile terminal 100may include a combination of the mobile communication module 120, thewireless LAN module 131, and the short range communication module 132according to the capability thereof.

The multimedia module 140 includes the broadcast communication module141, the audio reproduction module 142 and the video reproduction module143. The broadcast communication module 141 receives a broadcast signal(e.g., a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal or a databroadcast signal) or broadcast additional information (e.g., ElectricProgram Guide (EPG) or Electric Service Guide (ESG)) which istransmitted from a broadcast station through a broadcast communicationantenna under the control of the controller 110. The audio reproductionmodule 142 reproduces a stored or received digital audio file (e.g., afile having a file extension of mp3, wma, ogg, or way) under the controlof the controller 110. The video reproduction module 143 reproduces astored or received digital video file (e.g., a file having a fileextension of mpeg, mpg, mp4, avi, mov, or mkv) under the control of thecontroller 110. The video reproduction module 143 may reproduce adigital audio file. The multimedia module 140 may include the audioreproduction module 142 and the video reproduction module 143 withoutthe broadcast communication module 141. Also, the audio reproductionmodule 142 or the video reproduction module 143 of the multimedia module140 may be included in the controller 110.

The camera module 150 includes at least one of the first camera 151 andthe second camera 152, each of which photographs a still image or amoving image under the control of the controller 110. In addition, thefirst camera 151 or the second camera 152 may include an auxiliary lightsource (e.g. a flash) that provides an amount of light required forphotography. The first camera 151 may be disposed on a front surface ofthe mobile terminal 100, and the second camera 152 may be disposed on arear surface of the mobile terminal 100. It is possible for the firstcamera 151 and the second camera 152 to be disposed to be adjacent toeach other (e.g., an interval between the first camera 151 and thesecond camera 152 is larger than 1 cm and smaller than 8 cm) tophotograph a three-dimensional still image or a three-dimensional movingimage.

The GPS module 155 receives radio waves from a plurality of GPSsatellites in Earth's orbit and calculates a position of the mobileterminal 100 by using Time of Arrival information from the GPSsatellites to the mobile terminal 100.

The input/output module 160 includes at least one of a plurality ofbuttons 161, the microphone 162, the speaker 163, the vibration motor164, the connector 165, the keypad 166, the earphone connecting jack167, and the input unit 168.

The buttons 161 may be formed on the front surface, side surfaces orrear surface of the housing of the mobile terminal 100, and may includeat least one of a power button, a lock button, a volume button, a menubutton, a home button, a back button, and a search button 161.

The microphone 162 receives a voice or a sound to generate an electricalsignal under the control of the controller 110.

The speaker 163 outputs sounds corresponding to various signals of themobile communication module 120, the sub-communication module 130, themultimedia module 140, and the camera module 150 (e.g., a radio signal,a broadcast signal, a digital audio file, a digital video file, orphotographing) to the outside of the mobile terminal 100 under thecontrol of the controller 110. The speaker 163 may output a sound (forexample, a button tone corresponding to phone communication or a ringtone) corresponding to a function performed by the mobile terminal 100.One or more speakers 163 may be formed at a proper position or positionsof the housing of the mobile terminal 100.

The vibration motor 164 converts an electrical signal to mechanicalvibration under the control of the controller 110. For example, when themobile terminal 100 in a vibration mode receives a voice call from anyother device, the vibration motor 164 operates. One or more vibrationmotors 164 may be provided in the housing of the mobile terminal 100.The vibration motor 164 may operate in response to a touch operation ofa user who touches the touch screen 190, and a continuous movement of atouch on the touch screen 190.

The connector 165 may be used as an interface interconnecting the mobileterminal 100 and an external device or a power source. The mobileterminal 100 may transmit data stored in the storage unit 175 of themobile terminal 100 to the external device or may receive data from theexternal device through a wired cable connected to the connector 165under the control of the controller 110. The mobile terminal 100 mayreceive power from a power source through the wired cable connected tothe connector 165 or may charge a battery.

The keypad 166 receives a key input from a user for control of themobile terminal 100. The keypad 166 includes a physical keypad formed inthe mobile terminal 100 or a virtual keypad displayed on the touchscreen 190. The physical keypad formed on the mobile terminal 100 may beomitted according to the capability or configuration of the mobileterminal 100.

Earphones are inserted into the earphone connecting jack 167 to beconnected to the mobile terminal 100. The input unit 168 may be a styluspen. The input unit 168 may be inserted and maintained within the mobileterminal 100, and may be withdrawn or separated from the mobile terminal100 for use thereof.

The sensor module 170 includes at least one sensor for detecting a stateof the mobile terminal 100. For example, the sensor module 170 mayinclude a proximity sensor that detects whether the user approaches themobile terminal 100, an illumination sensor that detects an amount oflight around the mobile terminal 100, or a motion sensor that detects amotion of the mobile terminal 100 (e.g., rotation of the mobile terminal100, or acceleration or vibration applied to the mobile terminal 100).At least one sensor may detect the state, and may generate a signalcorresponding to the detection to transmit the generated signal to thecontroller 110. The sensor of the sensor module 170 may be added oromitted according to a capability of the mobile terminal 100.

The storage unit 175 stores signals or data input/output to correspondto an operation of the mobile communication module 120, thesub-communication module 130, the multimedia module 140, the cameramodule 150, the GPS module 155, the input/output module 160, the sensormodule 170, and the touch screen 190 under the control of the controller110. The storage unit 175 stores applications and a control program forcontrol of the mobile terminal 100 or the controller 110

In particular, the storage unit 175 may include information on a userinterface provided by the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodimentof the present invention. Such information on the user interfaceincludes at least one input type, and an input according to the at leastone input type.

The term “storage unit” is used as a term which refers to a random datastorage device such as the storage unit 175, the ROM 112 and the RAM 113within the controller 110, or a memory card mounted on the mobileterminal 100 (e.g., a Secure Digital (SD) card or a memory stick). Thestorage unit may include a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory, aHard Disc Drive (HDD) or a Solid State Drive (SSD).

The power supplier 180 supplies power to one battery or a plurality ofbatteries provided to the mobile terminal 100 under the control of thecontroller 110. The one battery or the plurality of batteries supplypower to the mobile terminal 100. In addition, the power supply unit 180may supply, to the mobile terminal 100, the power input from an externalpower source through a wired cable connected with the connector 165.

The touch screen 190 provides a user with a User Interface (UI)corresponding to various services (e.g., a voice call, a datatransmission, broadcast, and photographing). The touch screen 190transmits an analog signal corresponding to at least one touch input tothe user interface to the touch screen controller 195. The touch screen190 receives at least one touch input by a user's body (e.g., fingers)or a touchable input means (e.g., a stylus pen). Also, the touch screen190 may receive a continuous movement of one touch among at least onetouch. The touch screen 190 transmits an analog signal corresponding tothe continuous movement of the touch input thereto to the touch screencontroller 195.

In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, thetouch screen 190 may display at least one logical battery indicatorunder the control of the controller 110.

In the various embodiments of the present invention, the touch is notlimited to contact between the touch screen 190 and the user's body orthe touchable input means, and may include a contactless touch (e.g.,the detectable interval between the touch screen 190 and the user's bodyor the touchable input means is not more than 1 mm) The intervaldetectable from the touch screen 190 may vary depending on thecapability or configuration of the mobile terminal 100. The touch screen190 may be implemented, for example, in a resistive type, a capacitivetype, an Electro Magnetic Resonance (EMR) type, an infrared type, or anacoustic wave type of touch screen, and may also be implemented in atleast one combination thereof.

The touch screen controller 195 converts the analog signal received fromthe touch screen 190 to a digital signal (e.g., X and Y coordinates) andtransmits the digital signal to the controller 110. The controller 110controls the touch screen 190 by using the digital signal received fromthe touch screen controller 195. For example, the controller 110 maycause a shortcut icon displayed on the touch screen 190 to be selectedor may execute the shortcut icon in response to a touch. Further, thetouch screen controller 195 may be included in the controller 110.

In addition, the controller 110 may detect various user inputs receivedthrough the camera module 150, the input/output module 160, and thesensor module 170, in addition to the input unit 190. The user input mayinclude various types of information input to the mobile terminal 100,such as a gesture, a voice, a pupil action, and a bio signal of the useras well as the touch. The controller 110 controls the mobile terminal100 to perform a predetermined operation or function corresponding tothe detected user input.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the mobile terminal according tothe embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a rearperspective view of the mobile terminal according to the embodiment ofthe present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the touch screen 190 is disposed in thecenter of the front surface 100 a of the mobile terminal 100. The touchscreen 190 may have a large size to occupy most of the front surface 100a of the mobile terminal 100. FIG. 2 illustrates an example where a mainhome screen is displayed on the touch screen 190. The main home screenis a first screen displayed on the touch screen 190 when power of themobile terminal 100 is turned on. Further, when the mobile terminal 100has several pages of different home screens, the main home screen may bea first home screen of the several home screens. Short-cut icons 191-1,191-2, and 191-3 for executing frequently used applications, a main menuswitching icon 191-4, time, weather and the like may be displayed on thehome screen. A menu screen is displayed on the touch screen 190 throughthe main menu switching icon 191-4. At an upper end portion of the touchscreen 190, a status bar 192 may be formed that indicates the status ofthe mobile terminal 100, such as the battery charge status, theintensity of a received signal and the current time.

The touch screen 190 has a home button 161 a, a menu button 161 b and aback button 161 c which are arranged at a lower portion thereof.

The home button 161 a causes the main home screen to be displayed on thetouch screen 190. For example, when the home key 161 a is touched in astate where a different home screen or the menu screen is displayed onthe touch screen 190, the main home screen may be displayed on the touchscreen 190. Further, when the home button 161 a is touched whileapplications are executed on the touch screen 190, the main home screenshown in FIG. 2 may be displayed on the touch screen 190. In addition,the home button 161 a may be used to display recently used applicationsor a task manager on the touch screen 190.

The menu button 161 b provides a connection menu which may be displayedon the touch screen 190. The connection menu includes a widget additionmenu, a background changing menu, a search menu, an editing menu, anenvironment setup menu and the like. The back button 161 c may be usedfor displaying the screen which was executed just before the currentlyexecuted screen or terminating the most recently used application.

The first camera 151, the illumination sensor 170 a, and the proximitysensor 170 b may be disposed on edges of the front side 100 a of themobile terminal 100. The second camera 152, the flash 153, and thespeaker 163 may be disposed on a rear surface 100 c of the mobileterminal 100.

The power button 161 d, the volume button 161 e, a terrestrial DMBantenna 141 a for broadcast reception, and one or a plurality ofmicrophones 162 may be disposed on a side surface 100 b of the mobileterminal 100. The DMB antenna 141 a may be secured to the mobileterminal 100 or may be formed to be detachable from the mobile terminal100.

Further, the mobile terminal 100 has the connector 165 arranged on aside surface of a lower end thereof. A plurality of electrodes areformed in the connector 165, and the connector 165 may be connected toan external device by a wired cable. The earphone connecting jack 167may be formed on a side surface of an upper end of the mobile terminal100. An earphone may be inserted into the earphone connecting jack 167.

The input unit 168 may be located on a side surface of the mobileterminal 100. The input unit 168 may be inserted into the mobileterminal 100 to be stored in the mobile terminal 100, and withdrawn andseparated from the mobile terminal 100 when it is used. The input unit168 may be a stylus pen.

In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, theabove-configured controller 110 of the mobile terminal 100 may partitionthe battery into at least one logical battery, and may perform a controloperation required for allocating a function or an application to thelogical battery according to a user input, a function of the mobileterminal 100, or a use history of the application. Furthermore, thecontroller 110 may perform a control operation for displaying a residualcapacity for the logical battery according to a power amount consumed bythe function or the application allocated to the logical battery.Moreover, the controller 110 may perform a control operation foradjusting the partitioning and the allocation of the logical batteryaccording to a user's use history of the mobile terminal 100 or a user'sdemands.

Such a controller 110 includes a logical battery managing unit 400, andperforms the control operations through the logical battery managingunit 400.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of configurations of a logicalbattery managing unit 400 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. Referring to FIG. 4, the logical battery managing unit 400includes a battery partitioning module 410, a battery indicator module420, an application use history managing module 430, and a logicalbattery managing module 440.

The battery partitioning module 410 partitions a battery into at leastone or more logical batteries. For example, the battery may be one ormore physical batteries, and the battery partitioning module 410partitions an entire battery capacity of the one or more physicalbatteries into at least one or more battery capacities, and createsvirtual logical batteries with the partitioned battery capacities. Atthis time, the at least one or more logical batteries may include alogical battery for emergency that will be used in emergency situationsor minimum logical batteries for a system that are required for a systemoperation of the mobile terminal 100. The logical battery for emergencyuse or the logical batteries for the system may be displayed such that auser cannot have access thereto. According to another embodiment, thelogical battery for emergency use or the logical batteries for thesystem may not be included in the target for the logical batterypartition and may correspond to values determined as default valueswithin the mobile terminal 100.

Furthermore, the battery partitioning module 410 allocates functions orapplications to the logical batteries, respectively, according to theuser's use history of the mobile terminal 100 or the users' demands. Thebattery partitioning module 410 adjusts the partition of the logicalbatteries and the allocation of the functions or applications accordingto the user's use history of the mobile terminal 100 or the users'demands. For example, the battery partitioning module 410 may partitionthe logical batteries according to categories and may allocate thecategories to the partitioned logical batteries, respectively. Also, thebattery partitioning module 410 may partition the logical batteriesaccording to applications and may allocate the applications to thepartitioned logical batteries, respectively.

The battery indicator module 420 may create indicators representing theat least one or more logical batteries, respectively, and allows thefunctions or applications allocated to the respective logical batteriesand the indicators representing a residual battery capacity of thelogical batteries to be displayed on the touch screen 190.

The application use history managing module 430 stores a user's functionor application use history in the storage unit 175, and manages a usehistory including a name of an application, a time point and an amountof time when the application has been used, and a frequency at which theapplication has been used. For example, the application use historymanaging module 430 determines which function or application is used forthe longest amount of time, based on an amount of time spent usingfunctions or applications by a user within a predetermined period oftime. Furthermore, the application use history managing module 430determines which function or application is most frequently used by auser, which function or application is used, and when the function orapplication is mainly used.

The logical battery managing module 440 calculates and provides aresidual capacity for the logical batteries according to an amount ofpower consumed by the functions or applications allocated to the logicalbatteries. The residual capacity for the logical batteries may bedisplayed on the touch screen 190. For example, the logical batterymanaging module 440 calculates and provides a residual capacity for thelogical batteries according to an amount of power consumed by theapplications allocated to the respective logical batteries. In anotherexample, the logical battery managing module 440 calculates and providesa residual capacity for the logical batteries according to powerconsumption for each of the categories, that is, an amount of powerconsumed by at least one or more applications in the correspondingcategory. At this time, the logical battery managing module 440 may beseparately provided with an application list managing module (notillustrated) for each category, and may manage an application list foreach category.

Hereinafter, operations will be specifically described in which themobile terminal 100 provided with the logical battery managing unit 400partitions a battery into logical batteries and allocates functions orapplications to the logical batteries, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating operations of partitioning a batteryinto logical batteries and allocating functions or applications to thelogical batteries according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, a mobile terminal 100 enters a battery partitionmode, in step 510. The mobile terminal 100 may enter the batterypartition mode according to a request for partitioning a battery by auser's input such as a touch input, or may automatically enter thebattery partition mode under a predetermined condition.

In step 520, the mobile terminal 100 displays a battery partition screenthrough a display unit such as a touch screen 190 after entering thebattery partition mode. In step 530, the mobile terminal 100 partitionsa battery into at least one or more logical batteries by using thebattery partition screen. In step 540, the mobile terminal 100 sets acapacity of the at least one or more logical batteries.

For example, the mobile terminal 100 may represent an entire capacity ofone or more physical batteries as one battery, and may create andrepresent at least one or more virtual logical batteries havingcapacities into which the entire battery capacity of the one or morephysical batteries is partitioned. At this time, at least one or morelogical batteries may include a logical battery for emergency that willbe used in emergency situations or minimum logical batteries for asystem required for a system operation of the mobile terminal 100. Thelogical battery for emergency use or the logical batteries for thesystem may be displayed such that a user cannot access these batteries.According to another embodiment, the logical battery for emergency useor the logical batteries for the system may not be included in thelogical battery partition target, and may be values determined asdefault values within the mobile terminal 100.

Referring to FIG. 6 which illustrates an example of a logical batterypartition screen according to an embodiment of the present invention,the mobile terminal 100 displays an original battery 610 on a batterypartition screen 600 as illustrated in FIG. 6A, in which the originalbattery 610 represents an entire capacity of one or more physicalbatteries as one battery. A user may input a request for partitioningthe battery by selecting a battery partition icon or button 620 whilethe original battery 610 is displayed. When the request for partitioningthe battery is input, the mobile terminal 100 partitions the originalbattery 610 into a first logical battery 612 and a second logicalbattery 614 as illustrated in FIG. 6B. At this time, N logicalbatteries, including a third logical battery (not illustrated), a fourthlogical battery (not illustrated), and the like may be additionallycreated according to the user's selection.

The mobile terminal 100 sets battery capacities of the first logicalbattery 612 and the second logical battery 614 by the user's selectionor input as illustrated in FIG. 6C. The battery capacities may beidentically partitioned in an initial stage and thereafter may beadjusted by the user's selection. For example, the user may set thebattery capacities by moving a capacity adjustor 630 between the firstlogical battery 612 and the second logical battery 614 to allocate agreater capacity to either one of the first logical battery 612 or thesecond logical battery 614.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 100 allocates functions orapplications to the at least one or more logical batteries,respectively, in step 550. At this time, not only one function orapplication but also a function or application folder in which one ormore functions or applications are grouped together may be allocated tothe respective logical batteries.

Referring now to FIG. 7 which illustrates an example of a screen forallocation of functions or applications to logical batteries accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal 100displays, on the battery partition screen 600, a screen 700 forallocation of functions or applications to the at least one or morepartitioned logical batteries, for example, the first logical battery612 and the second logical battery 614.

Referring to FIG. 7A, one of various functions or applications, such ase-mail, gallery, Gmail, Google, movie, studio, navigation, and the like,provided by the mobile terminal 100 may be allocated to the firstlogical battery 612 and the second logical battery 614. For example,when the Gmail application 720 among the various functions orapplications is moved to the second logical battery 614 by a touch anddrag motion of the user, the Gmail application 720 is allocated to thesecond logical battery 614 and the remaining functions or applicationsremain allocated to the first logical battery 612 as illustrated in FIG.7B.

Meanwhile, at least one function or application other than the Gmailapplication 720 may also be allocated to the first logical battery 612or the second logical battery 614.

Referring back to FIG. 5, when the functions or applications areallocated to the at least one or more logical batteries as describedabove, the mobile terminal 100 displays indicators representing the atleast one or more logical batteries to which the functions orapplications are allocated, in step 560.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a screen for displaying logical batteryindicators according to an embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 8, the logical battery indicators may be displayed ona home screen or a status bar 192.

FIG. 8A illustrates the logical battery indicators displayed on the homescreen. In FIG. 8A, the logical battery indicators 810 to 840 representthat an original battery (100%) is partitioned into four logicalbatteries having capacities of 50%, 30%, 10%, and 10%, respectively, anda call function (call), a K-talk application (K-talk), a camera function(CAM), and a system function (System) are allocated to the respectivefour logical batteries. At this time, since the logical battery to whichthe system function is allocated is created not by a user but by themobile terminal 100, it may be impossible for the user to access thelogical battery. FIG. 8B illustrates the logical battery indicatorsdisplayed on the status bar. FIG. 8B represents that two logical batteryindicators 850 and 860 may be displayed on the status bar.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention,the battery is partitioned into the logical batteries and the functionsor applications are allocated to the logical batteries according to theuser's input. According to another embodiment of the present invention,a battery may be automatically partitioned into logical batteries andfunctions or applications may be allocated to the logical batteries, byusing a function or application use history of the mobile terminal 100.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating operations of partitioning a batteryinto logical batteries and allocating applications to the logicalbatteries by using a use history of functions or applications accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, a mobile terminal 100 enters a battery partitionmode, in step 910. The mobile terminal 100 may enter the batterypartition mode according to a request for partitioning a battery by auser's input such as a touch input, or may automatically enter thebattery partition mode under a predetermined condition using the usehistory of the functions or applications.

In step 920, the mobile terminal 100 determines the use history of thefunctions or applications after entering the battery partition mode.

The mobile terminal 100 stores the use history of the functions orapplications in a storage unit 175. For example, the mobile terminal 100may store the use time or the use frequency of the functions orapplications. More specifically, the mobile terminal 100 may store theuse frequency of the functions or applications at every hour, everydayfrom Monday to Sunday. The use frequency may be increased by unitywhenever the functions or applications are used.

The mobile terminal 100 may determine a time point and an amount of timewhen an application has been used and a frequency at which anapplication has been used, by using the use history of the functions orapplications stored as described above. Furthermore, the mobile terminal100 may determine which function or application is used the longest overa predetermined period of time. Moreover, the mobile terminal 100 maydetermine which function or application is most frequently used by auser. In addition, the mobile terminal 100 may determine which functionor application is used and when the function or application is mainlyused.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, which illustrate examples of anapplication use history according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and in particular to FIG. 10, the mobile terminal 100determines a ratio of use time for each function or application to usetime for all functions or applications in percentages. For example, FIG.10 illustrates a case in which it is determined that the K-talkapplication has a use time of 30%, the Facebook application has a usetime of 15%, a telephone function has a use time of 10%, and a gameapplication has a use time of 5%, as compared with the use time for allthe functions or applications.

In FIG. 11, the mobile terminal 100 determines when and how often allfunctions or applications have been used. For example, FIG. 11illustrates a name of applications, and what time and how often theapplications have been used for a week from Monday to Sunday. Forexample, FIG. 11 illustrates a case in which it is determined that theK-talk application was used ten times at about 3:00 p.m. (e.g., between2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.) and twenty times at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, andthe Facebook® application was used ten times at about 3:00 p.m. andtwenty times at 5:00 p.m. on Monday.

Referring back to FIG. 9, in step 930, the mobile terminal 100determines the number of logical batteries into which a battery is to bepartitioned, by using the use history of the functions or application.For example, the number of logical batteries and capacities of thelogical batteries may be determined depending on the number of functionsor applications used for a predetermined period of time or more and usetime thereof. As an example, referring to FIG. 10, since fourapplications including the K-talk application, the Facebook®application, the telephone application, and the game application wereused for a time period corresponding to at least 5% or more of the usetime of all the functions or applications, it may be determined that thenumber of logical batteries into which the battery is to be partitionedcorresponds to 4.

Furthermore, the number of logical batteries may be determined dependingon the number of functions or applications used a predetermined numberof times or more. For example, the number of logical batteries may bedetermined depending on the number of functions or applications used atleast one hundred times from Monday to Sunday. The number of logicalbatteries may also be determined by a number predetermined in advance bya user.

In step 940, the mobile terminal 100 determines a priority of thefunctions or applications which will be allocated to the logicalbatteries, by using the use history of the functions or applications.

For example, the mobile terminal 100 may determine the functions orapplications used for the longest amount of time within the entire usetime as functions or applications having the highest priority, and thefunctions or applications used for the shortest amount of time asfunctions or application having the lowest priority. As an example, inthe case of FIG. 10 in which the K-talk application has been used forthe longest amount of time at 30%, the Facebook application has beenused for the second longest amount of time at 15%, the telephonefunction has been used for the third longest amount of time at 10%, andthe game application has been used for the shortest amount of time at5%, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the mobile terminal 100 may determine theK-talk application as an application having the highest priority and thegame application as an application having the lowest priority.

Furthermore, the mobile terminal 100 may determine the most frequentlyused functions or applications among all the functions or applicationsas functions or applications having the highest priority, and the leastfrequently used functions or applications as functions or applicationhaving the lowest priority. At this time, the mobile terminal 100 mayalso determine the priority of the functions or applications based onthe use time and the use frequency from Monday to Sunday, namely, for aweek, and more specifically, may also determine the priority of thefunctions or applications based on the use time and the use frequency atevery hour on each day of the week.

In step 950, the mobile terminal 100 determines a capacity of thelogical batteries according to the priority of the functions orapplications. For example, the mobile terminal 100 determines thecapacity of the logical batteries as having a larger capacity value forthe functions or applications having a higher priority, and as having asmaller capacity value for the functions or applications having a lowerpriority. Meanwhile, the capacity of the logical batteries may bedetermined in advance by a user or may also be determined in advance asa default value.

In step 960, the mobile terminal 100 allocates the correspondingapplications to the at least one or more logical batteries,respectively. For example, in a case in which the K-talk application hasthe highest priority, the Facebook application has the second highestpriority, the telephone function has the third highest priority, and thegame application has the lowest priority, the mobile terminal 100 mayallocate the K-talk application having the highest priority to thelogical battery having the largest capacity and the game applicationhaving the lowest priority to the logical battery having the smallestcapacity.

When the functions or applications are allocated to the at least one ormore logical batteries according to the use history thereof as describedabove, the mobile terminal 100 displays indicators representing the atleast one or more logical batteries to which the functions orapplications are allocated, in step 970. A method of displaying theindicators representing the at least one or more logical batteries maybe identical to that illustrated in FIG. 8.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the mobileterminal 100 may display a residual capacity of the at least one or morelogical batteries according to power consumed by the functions orapplications allocated to the at least one or more logical batteries.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating operations of displaying a capacityof logical batteries according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. Referring to FIG. 12, a mobile terminal 100 measures powerconsumption used by functions or applications allocated to at least oneor more logical batteries, in step 1210.

In step 1220, the mobile terminal 100 calculates a residual capacity ofeach logical battery by subtracting the power consumption used by thecorresponding function or application from a total capacity of eachlogical battery. For example, if a logical battery to which a telephonefunction is allocated has a capacity corresponding to 40% of an entirebattery capacity, the mobile terminal 100 calculates a residual capacityby subtracting power consumption used by the telephone function from thelogical battery capacity of 40%. In other words, assuming that an entireresidual battery capacity is 2000 mA, a logical battery to which thetelephone function is allocated has a capacity of 800 mA correspondingto 40% of the entire capacity 2000 mA, and a residual capacity of thelogical battery is calculated by subtracting power consumption used bythe telephone function from the capacity of 800 mA. At this time, thepower consumption for each of the functions or applications may becalculated by using a mean value of the power consumption and a consumedcurrent per second.

In step 1230, the mobile terminal 100 displays the residual capacity ofthe at least one or more logical batteries through the above-describedcalculation.

Referring now to FIG. 13, which illustrates an example of a screen onwhich residual capacities of logical batteries are displayed accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, the residual capacities ofthe logical batteries are displayed through logical battery indicators.The residual capacities of the logical batteries may be displayed on ahome screen or a status bar 192.

FIG. 13A illustrates the residual capacities of the logical batteriesdisplayed on the home screen. In FIG. 13A, logical battery indicators810 to 840 represent that an original battery is partitioned into fourlogical batteries having capacities of 50%, 30%, 10%, and 10%,respectively, and a call function (call), a K-talk application (K-talk),a camera function (CAM), and a system function (System) are allocated tothe respective four logical batteries. At this time, the residualcapacities of the logical batteries may be displayed through a residualamount on the logical battery indicators 810 to 840 as indicated byreference numerals 1310 to 1340.

FIG. 13B illustrates the residual capacities of the logical batteriesdisplayed on the status bar 192. FIG. 13B represents that two logicalbattery indicators 850 and 860 may be displayed on the status bar. Atthis time, the two logical battery indicators 850 and 860 may bedisplayed together with residual capacities (35% and 45%) 1350 and 1360,respectively. Through the residual capacity for each of the logicalbatteries, a user may identify how much of the logical battery capacityallocated to the corresponding function or application is left.

Referring to FIG. 12, the mobile terminal 100 displays the batteryresidual capacities as described above, and determines in step 1240whether any one of the at least one or more logical batteries isdischarged. If none are discharged, the mobile terminal returns to step1210.

If any one of the logical batteries is discharged, the mobile terminal100 interrupts the function or application corresponding to thedischarged logical battery, in step 1250. For example, even though auser requests execution of the function or application corresponding tothe discharged logical battery, the mobile terminal 100 does not executethe corresponding function or application.

When any one logical battery has been discharged, the mobile terminal100 may allow a telephone function rather than an idle screen to beexecuted as a default in order to reduce power consumption of thebattery. According to another embodiment, when any one logical batteryhas been discharged, the mobile terminal 100 may partition again thebattery into logical batteries based on the entire residual capacity ofthe battery at the time of the discharge, and may also reallocate theresidual capacity of the logical batteries. For example, in a case inwhich a logical battery for a telephone function is set to have acapacity corresponding to 40% of the entire battery capacity, if thecapacity of 40% is completely consumed, the mobile terminal 100 maycalculate again the logical battery capacity for the telephone functionas 40% based on the entire battery residual capacity, and may reallocatethe calculated capacity to the logical battery.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present invention, themobile terminal 100 may adjust the at least one or more logicalbatteries when the logical batteries need to be adjusted.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating operations of adjusting a logicalbattery according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referringto FIG. 14, a mobile terminal 100 determines whether a logical batteryneeds to be added or deleted in step 1410. The mobile terminal 100determines whether a user inputs a request for adding or deleting alogical battery or whether a logical battery needs to be added ordeleted according to a use history of functions or applications. In step1420, the mobile terminal 100 adds or deletes the logical batteryaccording to the need of adding or deleting the logical battery.

In step 1430, the mobile terminal 100 determines whether it is necessaryto change a capacity of a logical battery. The mobile terminal 100 maydetermine whether a user inputs a request for changing the capacity ofthe logical battery or whether it necessary to change the capacity ofthe logical battery according to the use history of functions orapplications. In step 1440, the mobile terminal 100 changes the capacityof the logical battery according to the need of changing the capacity ofthe logical battery.

In step 1450, the mobile terminal 100 determines whether it is necessaryto change an application allocated to a logical battery. The mobileterminal 100 may determine whether a user inputs a request for changingthe application allocated to the logical battery or whether it necessaryto change the application allocated to the logical battery according tothe use history of the application. In step 1460, the mobile terminal100 changes the application allocated to the logical battery accordingto the need for changing the application allocated to the logicalbattery. For example, if a user desires to additionally allocate aSocial Network Service (SNS) function to an existing logical batterywhile a telephone function is allocated to the existing logical battery,the SNS function may be additionally allocated to the correspondinglogical battery together with the telephone function.

Referring now to FIG. 15, which illustrates an example of a logicalbattery adjustment screen according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and in particular to FIG. 15A, while a battery is partitionedinto logical batteries 1510 including a logical battery “Call 50%” 1512,a logical battery “K-talk 30%” 1514, and a logical battery “System 10%”1516, the mobile terminal 100 may add a logical battery to allocateanother application 1518 to the logical batteries 1510. At this time, ifa user touches and drags an icon of the another application 1518 anddrops the icon onto the logical batteries 1510, a logical battery towhich the another application 1518 is allocated may be added.

Referring to FIG. 15B, while a battery is partitioned into logicalbatteries 1510 including a logical battery “Call 50%” 1512, a logicalbattery “K-talk 30%” 1514, and a logical battery “System 10%” 1516, if auser slides a boundary between the logical batteries 1510, capacities ofthe logical batteries 1510 may be changed. For example, when there is auser input for sliding a boundary between the logical battery “K-talk30%” 1514 and the logical battery “System 10%” 1516 toward the logicalbattery “K-talk 30%” 1514, a capacity of the logical battery “System10%” 1516 may be increased and a capacity of the logical battery “K-talk30%” 1514 may be decreased.

Referring back to FIG. 14, when it is determined in step 1470 that thelogical battery is completely adjusted, the mobile terminal 100 maydisplay the capacity of at least one or more adjusted logical batteries,in step 1480.

Meanwhile, according to various embodiments of the present invention,the mobile terminal 100 may set a category including at least oneapplication to be allocated to the at least one or more logicalbatteries, or may set one application to be allocated to the at leastone or more logical batteries.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating operations of allocating at leastone application to logical batteries according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 17 illustrates screens for allocating acategory and an application, respectively, to logical batteriesaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a mobile terminal 100 selects whether acategory or an application is allocated to logical batteries, in step1610. At this time, a category may be set in advance to be allocated tothe logical batteries, or an application may be set in advance to beallocated to the logical batteries, without the selection as to whetherthe category or the application is allocated to the logical batteries.

When the method for allocating the category to the logical batteries isselected, the mobile terminal 100 sets a category that will be allocatedto each of the logical batteries, in step 1620. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 17A, the mobile terminal 100 sets the number ofcategories 1712, types of categories 1714, and logical batterycapacities for the respective categories 1716 on a logical batterysetting screen 1710. Specifically, the mobile terminal 100 may set thenumber of categories 1712 to two, the two types of categories to anInternet category and another category, a logical battery capacity forthe Internet category to 48%, and a logical battery capacity for theanother category to 38%. At this time, the Internet category may includeat least one or more applications related to the Internet, and theanother category may include at least one or more other applications.When the category which will be allocated to each of the logicalbatteries is set, the mobile terminal 100 stores the category to beallocated to the logical category, in step 1630.

When the method for allocating the application to the logical batteriesis selected, the mobile terminal 100 sets an application that will beallocated to each of the logical batteries, in step 1640. For example,as illustrated in FIG. 17B, the mobile terminal 100 may set applicationsthat will be allocated to each logical battery, by selecting use times1721-1 to 1726-1 for at least one or more applications 1721 to 1726contained in each category on a logical battery setting screen 1720.Specifically, for example, when use time of 60 minutes (1721-1) isselected for App 1 (1721), the App 1 may be set to be allocated to alogical battery having power to be consumed by the App 1 for 60 minutes.When the application which will be allocated to each logical battery isset, the mobile terminal 100 stores the application to be allocated tothe logical category, in step 1650.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, auser may use each logical battery for one application, or may use eachlogical battery for a plurality of applications corresponding to thesame category.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, when at leastone or more applications are allocated to at least one or more logicalbatteries, the mobile terminal 100 may not display on a home screen ormay deactivate icons corresponding to applications that are notallocated to the at least one or more logical batteries.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating operations of displaying applicationicons on a home screen according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 19 illustrates examples of a home screen accordingto embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, a mobile terminal 100 determines whether ahome screen is to be displayed, in step 1810. The home screen may be amain home screen. The main home screen is a first screen displayed onthe touch screen 190 when the mobile terminal 100 is turned on. Further,when the mobile terminal 100 has several pages of different homescreens, the main home screen may be a first home screen of the severalpages of home screens. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 19A, themobile terminal 10 displays, on the home screen, short-cut icons 1901,1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906 for executing first to sixthapplications App 1 to App 6, respectively, which are frequently used,and icons such as a telephone icon 1911, a contacts icon 1912, a messageicon 1913, and main menu switching icon 1914.

When the home screen is displayed, the mobile terminal 100 determineswhich icons correspond to applications that are not allocated to logicalbatteries, among the icons displayed on the home screen, in step 1820.In step 1830, the mobile terminal 100 does not display or deactivatesthe icons of the applications that are not allocated to the logicalbatteries, among the icons displayed on the home screen.

For example, among the short-cut icons 1901 to 1906 for executing thefirst to sixth applications App 1 to App 6, the telephone icon 1911, thecontacts icon 1912, the message icon 1913, and the main menu switchingicon 1914, the short-cut icons 1903 to 1906, the telephone icon 1911,the contacts icon 1912, and the message icon 1913 may correspond toicons of applications that are not allocated to the logical batteries.In this case, the mobile terminal 100 does not display, on the homescreen, the short-cut icons 1903 to 1906, the telephone icon 1911, thecontacts icon 1912, and the message icon 1913 as illustrated in FIG.19B, or deactivates the short-cut icons 1903 to 1906, the telephone icon1911, the contacts icon 1912, and the message icon 1913 on the homescreen (e.g., displays them in a locking state) as illustrated in FIG.19C by the shaded areas over each icon.

Furthermore, in step 1840, the mobile terminal 100 determines whetherany one of the logical batteries is discharged while the home screen isbeing displayed. When any one of the logical batteries is dischargedwhile the home screen is being displayed, the mobile terminal 100performs a control such that an icon of an application allocated to thedischarged logical battery is not displayed or is deactivated, in step1850. For example, whenever at least one or more logical batteries aredischarged, the mobile terminal 100 does not display or deactivatesicons of applications allocated to the discharged logical batteries.Accordingly, the icons of the corresponding applications may not bedisplayed or may be deactivated in an order in which the at least one ormore logical batteries are discharged.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention,the mobile terminal 100 may restrict usage of the applications which arenot allocated to the logical batteries, by deactivating or notdisplaying the icons of the applications which are not allocated to thelogical batteries among the icons displayed on the home screen.

Meanwhile, according to various embodiments of the present invention,the mobile terminal 100 may display an alert message and may interrupt acorresponding function when any one or all of the at least one or morelogical batteries are discharged.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating operations when at least one or morelogical batteries are discharged according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate examples of a screenwhen at least one or more logical batteries are discharged according toan embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 20, a mobile terminal 100 determines whether any oneof at least one or more logical batteries is discharged in step 2010.When it is determined that any one logical battery has been discharged,the mobile terminal 100 displays an alert message and interruptsexecution of an application corresponding to the discharged logicalbattery, in step 2020. For example, when any one of the at least one ormore logical batteries has been discharged, the mobile terminal 100displays the alert message informing the user that any one logicalbattery has been discharged, and interrupts the execution of theapplication corresponding to the discharged logical battery.Furthermore, when all of the logical batteries have been discharged, themobile terminal 100 displays an alert message informing the user thatall of the logical batteries have been discharged, and interruptsexecution of all applications allocated to the at least one or morelogical batteries.

In step 2030, the mobile terminal 100 displays a password input requestmessage. For example, the mobile terminal 100 may display the passwordinput request message together with the alert message or afterdisplaying the alert message. In step 2040, the mobile terminal 100determines whether a password is input in response to the password inputrequest message. When a user inputs the password, the mobile terminal100 changes from a logical battery operation mode to a general batteryoperation mode, or resets the logical batteries in step 2050.

For example, referring to FIG. 21, when a logical battery to which agame application is allocated is discharged during execution of the gameapplication 2100, the mobile terminal 100 displays an alert message 2110containing a password input request message 2111, as illustrated in FIG.21A. When a password is input, the mobile terminal 100 changes from thelogical battery operation mode to the general battery operation mode,and displays a normal screen according to the general battery operationmode, for example a home screen 2101, as illustrated in FIG. 21B. In thegeneral battery operation mode, the mobile terminal may operate,recognizing the entire capacity of one or more physical batteries as anoriginal battery.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 22, when a logical battery to which agame application is allocated is discharged during execution of the gameapplication 2200, the mobile terminal 100 displays an alert message 2210as illustrated in FIG. 22A. The mobile terminal 100 displays a logicalbattery setting screen 2201 and a password input request message 2220for resetting the logical batteries as illustrated in FIG. 22B, afterdisplaying the alert message 2210. When a password is input in responseto the password input request message 2220 for resetting the logicalbatteries, the mobile terminal 100 resets the logical batteriesaccording to a user input. When the logical batteries are completelyreset, the mobile terminal 100 displays a normal screen according to theresetting of the logical batteries, for example a home screen 2202, asillustrated in FIG. 22C.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention,when a logical battery is discharged, the mobile terminal may interruptthe execution of the application corresponding to the discharged logicalbattery, thereby restricting the use of the application such that theapplication may be used only for a time period corresponding to thecapacity of the logical battery. For example, in a case in which a gameapplication is allocated to any one of the logical batteries, if thelogical battery is completely consumed, the mobile terminal interruptsexecution of the game application, thereby restricting the use of thegame application such that the game application may be used only for atime period corresponding to the predetermined capacity of the logicalbattery.

Meanwhile, according to various embodiments of the present invention,the mobile terminal 100 may reset the logical battery through a logicalbattery resetting menu according to a user's request irrespective of adischarge of the logical battery.

FIG. 23 illustrates a logical battery resetting screen according to anembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 23, a mobileterminal 100 displays a logical battery setting menu 2310, for example,a smart battery start menu on a setting screen 2300 as illustrated inFIG. 23A. The setting menu may include other setting menus, for example,a Wi-Fi setting menu, a GPS setting menu, a vibration setting menu, andthe like, in addition to the logical battery setting menu 2310. When auser selects the logical battery setting menu 2310, the mobile terminal100 displays a logical battery setting screen 2301 and a password inputrequest message 2320 for resetting logical batteries, as illustrated inFIG. 23B. When a password is input in response to the password inputrequest message 2320 for resetting the logical batteries, the mobileterminal 100 resets the logical batteries according to a user inputthrough logical battery setting items 2330.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a content display method of anelectronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 26A to 26D illustrate examples of a screen of an electronic deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention, and

FIGS. 26E and 26F illustrate examples of a screen of an electronicdevice according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 24, in step S2410, a content display mode of anapplication corresponding to an assigned logical battery is configuredin the electronic device.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a method of configuring a contentdisplay mode of an application, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. For example, the method illustrated in FIG. 25 may beperformed in step S2410 of FIG. 24.

FIGS. 27A to 27G illustrate an example of registering a content displaymethod in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 25, in step S2501, selection of a battery is receivedin environment settings.

For example, referring to FIG. 27A, on an environment setting screen2700 of the electronic device, various functions of the electronicdevice may be configured by a user input (e.g., a touch input, a voiceinput, a motion input, etc.). Items that are configurable on theenvironment setting screen 2700 include sound 2701, display 2702,wallpaper 2703, lock screen 2704, multi-window 2705, notification panel2706, toolbox 2707, and battery 2708. Clearly, the items that areconfigurable on the environment setting screen 2700 may be added to,changed, or deleted.

In order to assign a logical battery to an application and configure acontent display method, a user inputs a touch 2701 a on the battery2708. For example, the electronic device may detect the touch 2701 ausing the touch screen 190 and the touch screen controller 195. Theelectronic device may calculate a touch location 2701 b (e.g., X1 and Y1coordinates) corresponding to the touch 2701 a using an electric signalreceived from the touch screen controller 195.

The electronic device may store touch location information correspondingto the touch location 2701 b in the storage unit 175. The stored touchlocation information may include a touch identifier (ID) for historymanagement, a touch location, a touch detection time, or touchinformation (e.g., a touch pressure, a touch direction, a touch durationtime, etc).

In addition, the electronic device may detect a hovering input using thetouch screen 190 and the touch screen controller 195. The electronicdevice may calculate a hovering location corresponding to the hoveringinput using an electric signal received from the touch screen controller195.

The electronic device may store hovering location informationcorresponding to the hovering location in the storage unit 175. Thestored hovering location information may include a hovering detectionlocation, a hovering detection time, or hovering information (e.g., ahovering height (h), a hovering direction, a hovering duration time,etc.).

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2502, selection of applicationbattery assignment is received on a battery setting screen.

For example, referring to FIG. 27B, the electronic device displays abattery setting screen 2710 in response to the touch 2701 a in FIG. 27A.Items that are configurable on the battery setting screen 2710 include,for example, battery percentage (%) display 2711, application assignment2712, residual battery capacity and graph 2713, and software batteryconsumption indicators 2713 a to 2713 e. Obviously, the items that areconfigurable on the battery setting screen 2710 can be added to,changed, or deleted.

In FIG. 27B, the user inputs a touch 2702 a on the applicationassignment 2712. For example, the electronic device detects the touch2702 a using the touch screen 190 and the touch screen controller 195,and calculates a touch location 2702 b (e.g., X2 and Y2 coordinates)corresponding to the touch 2702 a using an electric signal received fromthe touch screen controller 195.

Like the touch 2701 a in FIG. 27A, the electronic device may store touchlocation information corresponding to the touch location 2702 a and alsodetect a hovering input; however, a repetitive description thereof willbe omitted.

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2503, an application batteryassignment screen is displayed.

For example, referring to FIG. 27C, the electronic device displays anapplication battery assignment screen 2720 in response to the touch 2702a in FIG. 27B. Applications that are configurable on the applicationbattery assignment screen 2720 include a video player application 2721,an Internet browser application 2722, a music player application 2723, aplay-store application 2724, a map application 2725, a searchapplication 2726, a message application 2727, a telephone application2728, and a camera application 2729.

Items corresponding to the video player application 2721 may include anicon 2721 a for the video player application 2721, an application name2721 b, an assigned logical battery capacity 2721 c, and a battery bar2721 d.

In addition, items corresponding to the Internet browser application2722 include an icon 2722 a for the Internet browser application 2722,an application name 2722 b, an assigned logical battery capacity 2722 c,and a battery bar 2722 d.

Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 27C, items corresponding to therespective applications 2721 to 2729 are the same.

The assigned logical battery capacity 2722 c may be displayed as abattery capacity (e.g., 250 mAh) assigned from a physical batterycapacity or as a percentage (e.g., 15%) based on the physical batterycapacity. The display method may also be identically applied to thebattery bar 2722 d.

Obviously, the applications that are configurable on the applicationbattery assignment screen 2720 can be added to, changed, or deleted.

As described above, a battery may be divided into a physical battery anda logical battery. For example, the physical battery is a lithium ionbattery or a lithium polymer battery that supplies power to anelectronic device, and the logical battery is a virtual battery obtainedby dividing the physical battery into one or more capacities.

The logical battery may include a logical battery for an emergency,i.e., which is used in case of an emergency, and a logical battery for asystem that has the minimum capacity required for a system operation ofthe electronic device. The logical battery for the emergency and thelogical battery for the system may prohibit user access. In addition,the logical battery for the emergency and the logical battery for thesystem may have a capacity determined in advance.

In response to a user input, the electronic device may assign a logicalbattery capacity to an application or a service provided by theelectronic device. In addition, the electronic device may store, e.g.,in the storage unit 175, a use history of the logical battery capacityassigned to the application or the service provided by the electronicdevice.

Further, the electronic device may manage the use history of the logicalbattery capacity assigned to the application or the service provided bythe electronic device. For example, the use history may include theamount of a logical battery used for each application and/or service fora predetermined period of time (e.g., 1 day, 7 days, a month, a quarter,a year, etc.) or the maximum amount of a logical battery used for eachapplication and/or service for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 1day, 7 days, etc.).

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2504, selection of an application,e.g., an Internet browser application, is received on the applicationbattery assignment screen.

Referring again to FIG. 27C, the user inputs a touch 2703 a on theInternet browser application 2722 and the electronic device calculates atouch location 2703 b (e.g., X3 and Y3 coordinates) corresponding to thetouch 2703 a, similar to the touch 2701 a and touch location 2701 b inFIG. 27A.

Accordingly, a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2505, logical battery assignmentfor the Internet browser application is configured.

For example, referring to FIG. 27D, the electronic device displays anInternet browser battery assignment screen 2730 in response to the touch2703 a in FIG. 27C. Items that are configurable on the Internet browserbattery assignment screen 2730 include automatic assignment 2731,assignment level 2732, and threshold level 2733.

In addition, non-application of assignment may be displayed in the itemswhich are configurable on the Internet browser battery assignment screen2730. For example, when the non-application of assignment is selectedfor the Internet browser application, the electronic device will notassign or turn off a logical battery capacity to the Internet browserapplication. The non-application of assignment may also be a default.

When the automatic assignment option 2731 is selected, the electronicdevice may assign a predetermined logical battery capacity (e.g., 10%),which changeable by a setting, to the Internet browser application.

Alternatively, the automatic assignment 2731 may not be displayed.

When the assignment level 2732 is selected, a logical battery capacity(e.g., %) for the Internet browser application may be assigned by theuser. For example, an indicator 2732 a having a logical batteryassignment range of 0% to 50% may be set to 20% by a user input (e.g., atouch or a touch gesture).

When the threshold level option 2733 is selected, a threshold value forthe assignment level (e.g., 20%) configured for the Internet browserapplication may be configured by the user. For example, an indicator2733 a having a logical battery threshold assignment range of 0% to 50%may be set to 15% by a user input (e.g., a drag).

Thereafter, when the consumption of the logical battery (e.g., 20%)assigned to the Internet browser application reaches the threshold level(e.g., 15%), the electronic device may display a pop-up window on thetouch screen 190 and/or may output an alarm through a speaker 163.

Although a battery capacity assigned at the threshold level 2733 may belower than that assigned at the assignment level 2732, the batterycapacity assigned at the threshold level 2733 may not exceed thatassigned at the assignment level 2732.

On the Internet browser battery assignment screen 2730, the assignmentlevel 2732 and the threshold level 2733 may be set to the same level(e.g., 20%).

In addition, the automatic assignment option 2731 and/or the assignmentlevel option 2732 may be displayed on the Internet browser batteryassignment screen 2730.

When the assignment level 2732 is configured, a logical battery capacityat the assignment level 2732 may be the same as a threshold logicalbattery capacity at the threshold level 2733.

Thereafter, a user input a touch 2704 a on a setting button 2730 c amonga cancel button 2730 a, an OK button 2730 b, and the setting button 2730c on the Internet browser battery assignment screen 2730, in response tothe logical battery assignment for the Internet browser application.When the user inputs the touch 2704 a on the OK button 2730 b, theelectronic device applies the configured logical battery assignment forthe internet browser application. When the user inputs the touch 2074 aon the cancel button 2030 a, the electronic device cancels theconfigured logical battery assignment for the internet browserapplication. When the user inputs the touch 2704 a on the setting button2730 c, the electronic device displays a pop-up window 2735, asillustrated in FIG. 27E, for configuring a content display mode.

The electronic device detects the fourth touch 2704 a and calculates afourth touch location 2704 b (e.g., X4 and Y4 coordinates) correspondingto the fourth touch 2704 a using an electric signal received from thetouch screen controller 195.

The controller may store fourth touch location information correspondingto the fourth touch location 2704 a in the storage unit. The storedfourth touch location information may include a touch identifier (ID)for history management, a touch location, a touch detection time, ortouch information (e.g., a touch pressure, a touch direction, a touchduration time, and the like).

Since detection of fourth hovering in step S2505 of FIG. 25 issubstantially the same as that of the first hovering in step S2501 ofFIG. 25, a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2506, selection of a contentdisplay mode is received.

Referring to FIG. 27E, the electronic device displays a pop-up window2735 in response to the touch 2704 a. Upon selecting the setting button2730 c in FIG. 27D, the user may configure a content display modethrough the pop-up window 2735. For example, the content display modeincludes a displayed-text reverse mode 2735 a or a hardware (H/W)decoding mode 2735 b. In the text reverse mode 2735 a, the electronicdevice may reverse content displayed on a screen of an application(e.g., the Internet browser application) exceeding a threshold logicalbattery capacity configured for an assigned logical battery capacity,and may display the reversed content. For example, when a backgroundcolor of the application screen is white and a text color is black, thecontroller may change the background color into black and the text colorinto white.

In addition, the text reverse mode 2735 a may include various textreverse modes. For example, the text reverse mode may include textreverse mode 1, wherein a background color is dark gray and a text coloris light gray, a text reverse mode 2, wherein a background color isblack and a text color is light gray, or text reverse mode 3, wherein abackground color is black and a text color is dark gray.

The consumption of the logical battery assigned to the Internet browserapplication may be reduced through the text reversing. In addition, thebattery consumption of the electronic device may be reduced through thetext reversing.

For a display panel (e.g., a TFT-LCD, an AMOLED, etc.) of the touchscreen 190, battery consumption may be determined by a screenbrightness. Comparing display panels, such as OLEDs, having the samebrightness but different background colors, namely, black and white,respectively, battery consumption of the electronic device having theblack background may be reduced.

In the electronic device charged to a level of 100%, when an Internetbrowser in which a background color is white and a text color is blackis used for one hour, a residual battery capacity may be about 95%, anda battery capacity of 5% may be consumed. In contrast, when an Internetbrowser in which a background color is black and a text color is whiteis used for one hour, a residual battery capacity may be about 96.7%,and a battery capacity of 3.3% may be consumed. It will be easilyunderstood by those skilled in the art that there may be a difference inbattery consumption according to experimental conditions.

In the hardware decoding mode 2735 b, the electronic device may change,through hardware decoding, rather than software decoding, content (e.g.,a video or audio) displayed on a screen of an application (e.g., thevideo player application) exceeding a threshold logical battery capacityconfigured for an assigned logical battery capacity.

The consumption of the logical battery assigned to the video playerapplication may be reduced through the hardware decoding. In addition,the battery consumption of the electronic device may be reduced throughthe hardware decoding.

The hardware decoding includes decoding using a decoder of a GPU. Thesoftware decoding includes decoding using the processor 111 and decodingusing a software codec embedded in an application. For example, when avideo file has a file extension of 3g2, 3gp, or mp4, the electronicdevice may perform hardware decoding. When a video file has a fileextension of avi, mpg, mpeg, or mkv, the electronic device may performsoftware decoding.

When the electronic device performs the software decoding, batteryconsumption may increase due to an increase in a processor occupancyrate of the electronic device.

In the electronic device charged to a level of 100%, when a video filewith a resolution of 1280×720, a playback time of 24 minutes, H.264encoding, 93.976 FPS, and AAC 48000 Hz is reproduced through hardwarecoding in the video player application, a residual battery capacity maybe 95%, and a battery capacity of 5% may be consumed. When the samevideo file is reproduced through software decoding in the video playerapplication, a residual battery capacity may be 88%, and a batterycapacity of 12% may be consumed. It will be easily understood by thoseskilled in the art that there may be a difference in battery consumptionaccording to experimental conditions.

The content display modes may include a screen brightness change,wherein the electronic device may change (e.g., darken) a screenbrightness of an application (e.g., the Internet browser application)exceeding a threshold logical battery capacity (e.g., 15%) configuredfor an assigned logical battery capacity (e.g., 20%) to display content.For example, when a current screen brightness of an application is 85%of the maximum brightness, the electronic device may decrease the screenbrightness to 35% of the maximum brightness in the screen brightnesschange mode. Thereafter, the screen brightness (e.g., 35%) may bechanged by a user setting or may be determined in advance under thecontrol of the controller.

The consumption of a logical battery assigned to an application may bereduced through a screen brightness change. In addition, the batteryconsumption of the electronic device may be reduced through textreversing.

It may be easily understood by those skilled in the related art that thecontent display modes may be applied to a function or service capable ofreducing consumption of a logic battery assigned to an application aswell as the text reverse 2735 a, the hardware coding 2735 b, and/or thescreen brightness change according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Similarly, when a touch is detected on another application (e.g., thevideo player application 2721), the electronic device displays a videoplayer battery assignment screen 2740 corresponding to the touch, asillustrated in FIG. 27G.

On the video player battery assignment screen 2740, the user mayconfigure automatic assignment 2741, an assignment level 2742, and/or athreshold level 2743 for the video player application.

In response to a user selection of the setting button of the videoplayer battery assignment screen 2740, the electronic device displays apop-up window 2745. The user may then select a content display mode(e.g., a text reverse mode 2735 a or a hardware decoding 2745 b) throughthe pop-up window 2745.

The consumption of the logical battery assigned to the video playerapplication may be reduced through the hardware decoding. In addition,the battery consumption of the electronic device may be reduced throughthe hardware decoding.

Since logical battery assignment and content display mode setting forthe video player application in FIG. 27G is substantially the same asthat of the Internet browser application illustrated in FIGS. 27D and27E, a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

It may be easily understood by those skilled in the art that a change ofa content display mode of an application to which a logical batterycapacity is assigned may include various applications, various logicalbattery capacity assignments, and/or various threshold logical batteryassignments according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 27E, when one of the text reverse 2735 a and thehardware decoding 2735 b is selected in the displayed content displaymode, the electronic device may make the pop-up window 2735 disappearfrom the screen.

The user may also input a touch 2705 a at a touch location 2705 b on theOK button 2730 b of the Internet browser battery assignment screen 2730,either before or after the pop-up window 2735 has disappeared, in orderto complete the assignment.

The controller may detect the fifth touch 2705 a using the touch screen190 and the touch screen controller 195. The controller may calculate afifth touch location 2705 b (e.g., X5 and Y5 coordinates) correspondingto the fifth touch 2705 a using an electric signal received from thetouch screen controller 195.

The controller may store fifth touch location information correspondingto the fifth touch location 2705 a in the storage unit. The stored fifthtouch location information may include a touch identifier (ID) forhistory management, a touch location, a touch detection time, or touchinformation (e.g., a touch pressure, a touch direction, a touch durationtime, and the like).

Since detection of fifth hovering in step S2506 of FIG. 25 issubstantially the same as that of the first hovering in step S2501 ofFIG. 25, a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2507, a list of applications towhich a logical battery capacity is assigned is displayed on theapplication battery assignment screen.

Referring to FIG. 27F, in response to the touch 2705 a in FIG. 27E, theelectronic device displays the application battery assignment screen2720 including a list of applications to which a logical batterycapacity is assigned.

In response to the content display mode setting of the applications towhich a logical battery capacity is assigned, the electronic device maychange the application battery assignment screen 2720 of FIG. 27C to theapplication battery assignment screen 2720 of FIG. 27F. The electronicdevice may change some items 2722 c and 2722 d of the relevant items2722 a to 2722 d of the Internet browser application 2722 and displaythe same on the application battery assignment screen 2720.

Referring to FIG. 27F, in response to a user input, the electronicdevice may change some items corresponding to various applications 2721and 2723 to 2729 as well as the Internet browser application 2722 anddisplay the same.

Referring again to FIG. 25, in step S2508, application batteryassignment information is stored.

The electronic device may store, e.g., in the storage unit 175, theapplication battery assignment information corresponding to theconfigured content display mode of an application to which a logicalbattery capacity is assigned. The application battery assignmentinformation stored in the storage unit may include, for example, an IDfor history management, an application name, whether or no automaticassignment is used, an automatic assignment logical battery capacity, anassigned logical battery capacity, a threshold logical battery capacity,a logical battery capacity setting time, a usable time of a logicalbattery, a content display mode, etc.

Logical battery capacities, threshold logical battery capacities, and/orcontent display modes that correspond to respective applications may bedifferent from each other. For example, when logical battery capacitiesassigned to a plurality of applications are the same, threshold logicalbattery capacities assigned to the respective applications may bedifferent from each other. In addition, content display modes configuredfor the respective applications may also be different from each other.

The application battery assignment information may be stored one by onein response each application or may be stored at one time for all theapplications displayed in the application list.

After step S2508, when the application battery assignment information isstored, the configuration of the content display mode for an applicationto which a logical battery capacity is assigned is completed.

Referring again to FIG. 24, in step S2420, an application is executed.For example, a shortcut icon corresponding to the application (e.g., anInternet browser) is selected by a user input in the electronic device.

For example, referring to FIG. 26A, the electronic device displays anInternet browser screen 2600 corresponding to the selected shortcut iconon the display of the electronic device. A web page 2601 configured withan image and text is displayed on the Internet browser screen 2600. Thebackground color of the web page 2601 is white, and the text color isblack.

When the application is executed, the electronic device may display, ona status bar, the logical battery capacity assigned to the executedapplication (e.g., Internet browser) and and/or the threshold logicalbattery capacity. The logical battery capacity or the threshold logicalbattery capacity that can be displayed on the status bar may bedisplayed as an icon and/or text (e.g., including %) corresponding tothe battery capacity.

Referring to FIG. 26D, another application (e.g., a video player) screen2650 is displayed in the electronic device according to anotherembodiment of the present invention. Content (e.g., a video 2651) isdisplayed on the video player screen 2650. The controller may performsoftware decoding on the content to display the same on the video playerscreen 2650.

Referring again to FIG. 24, in step S2430, battery consumptioncorresponding to the executed application is detected.

When the application (e.g., Internet browser) is executed, theelectronic device may detect battery consumption of the executedapplication through a detection unit according to a predetermined period(e.g., 10 sec, changeable). The electronic device may calculate thebattery consumption of the executed application using a voltage (orcurrent) detected through the detection unit. For example, based on avoltage (or current) when the electronic device is charged to a level of100%, the electronic device may calculate physical battery consumptionusing the currently detected voltage (or current).

The electronic device may also store the detected voltage (or current)and/or the calculated battery consumption in the storage unit 175. Inaddition, the electronic device may update the use history of thelogical battery capacity using the use history of the calculatedphysical battery consumption and the stored logical battery capacity.

According to another embodiment, when another application (e.g., thevideo player) is executed, detecting battery consumption of the executedapplication through the detection unit according to a predeterminedperiod (e.g., 15 sec, changeable) is substantially similar to detectingthe battery consumption, in step S2430 of FIG. 24; therefore, arepetitive description thereof will be omitted.

In step S2440, the electronic device determines whether the batteryconsumption exceeds a preset threshold logical battery capacity.

For example, the electronic device may compare the battery consumptioncalculated by the execution of the application (e.g., the Internetbrowser) with the logical battery capacity (e.g., 20%) and the thresholdlogical battery capacity (e.g., 15%) of the stored application batteryassignment information. The controller may compare the calculatedbattery consumption with the logical battery capacity (e.g., 20%) andthe threshold logical battery capacity (e.g., 15%) of the applicationbattery assignment information in the use history of the stored logicalbattery capacity.

For example, when the detected battery consumption corresponding to theexecution of the application is 16%, the electronic device may determinethat the detected battery consumption exceeds the preset thresholdlogical battery capacity. In addition, when the detected batteryconsumption corresponding to the execution of the application is 15.1%,the electronic device may determine that the detected batteryconsumption exceeds the preset threshold logical battery capacity.

According to another embodiment, determining whether battery consumptioncalculated by execution of another application (e.g., the video player)exceeds the preset threshold logical battery capacity is substantiallysimilar to determining, in step S2440 of FIG. 24, whether the batteryconsumption exceeds the threshold logical battery capacity; therefore, arepetitive description will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 27D, a logical battery capacity of the assignmentlevel 2732 may be the same as a threshold logical battery capacity ofthe threshold level 2733. In this case, the electronic device maycompare the battery consumption with the preset logical battery capacity(or the preset threshold logical battery capacity). According to thecomparison result, the electronic device may determine that the detectedbattery consumption exceeds the preset logical battery capacity (or thepreset threshold logical battery capacity).

When the detected battery consumption corresponding to the execution ofthe application is less than 15%, i.e., when the electronic devicedetermines that the battery consumption does not exceed the presetthreshold logical battery capacity, the operation returns to step S2430.

However, when the electronic device determines that the batteryconsumption exceeds a preset threshold logical battery capacity, in stepS2450, the content display mode of the executed application is changed.

Referring to FIGS. 26B and 26C, when the detected battery consumptionexceeds the preset threshold logical battery capacity, the electronicdevice displays a pop-up window 2610 notifying the user of the exceedingof the threshold logical battery capacity of the application. The pop-upwindow 2610 includes an explanation 2611, a cancel button 2610 a, an OKbutton 2610 b, and a setting button 2610 c.

When the user selects the OK button 2610 b or when a predetermined time(e.g., 500 msec, changeable) passes, the electronic device may make thepop-up window 2610 disappear.

When the pop-up window 2610 disappears, the electronic device may changethe content display mode of the application screen. For example, theelectronic device may change the web page 2601 (e.g., a background coloris white and a text color is black) displayed on the application screen2600 into a reversed web page 2602 (e.g., a background color is blackand a text color is white), as illustrated in FIG. 26C.

Alternatively, when the pop-up window 2610 disappears, the electronicdevice may change the web page 2601 (e.g., a background color is whiteand a text color is black) displayed on the application screen 2600 intoa modified reversed web page (e.g., where a background color is blackand a text color is a color other than black or white).

When the detected battery consumption exceeds the preset thresholdlogical battery capacity, the electronic device may change the contentdisplay mode of the application screen without displaying the pop-upwindow 2610.

In addition, when the user selects the setting button 2610 c of thepop-up window 2610, the electronic device may receive a user selectionof another content display mode (e.g., a screen brightness change mode,not illustrated), e.g., as described in step S2506 of FIG. 25 andillustrated in FIG. 27B.

When the other content display mode is changed by the user, theelectronic device may display the screen illustrated in FIG. 26B again.

When the user selects the OK button 2610 b of the pop-up window 2610 onthe screen of FIG. 26B, the electronic device may apply the othercontent display mode.

When the user presses the Cancel button 2610 a, the electronic devicedoes not change the content display mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 27D, the logical battery capacity of theassignment level 2732 may be the same as the threshold logical batterycapacity of the threshold level 2733. When the detected batteryconsumption exceeds the preset logical battery capacity (or the presetthreshold logical battery capacity), the electronic device may display apop-up window indicating that the logical battery capacity of theapplication has been exceeded and change the content display mode of theapplication screen.

In addition, when the detected battery consumption exceeds the presetlogical battery capacity (or the preset threshold logical batterycapacity), the electronic device may change the content display mode ofthe application screen without displaying the pop-up window.

The consumption of the logical battery assigned to the Internet browseris reduced through the text reverse mode 2735 a so that the Internetbrowser can be executed for a longer period of time than usual. Further,the battery consumption of the electronic device is reduced through thetext reverse mode 2735 a so that the mobile phone can be used for alonger period of time than usual.

FIGS. 26E and 26F illustrate an example of changing a content displaymode of an application according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIGS. 26E and 26F, when the detected battery consumptionexceeds a preset threshold logical battery capacity, the electronicdevice displays a pop-up window 2660. The pop-up window 2660 includes anexplanation 2661 corresponding to threshold logical battery capacitybeing exceeded, a cancel button 2660 a, an OK button 2660 b, and asetting button 2660 c.

When a user selects the OK button 2660 b or when a predetermined time(e.g., 500 msec, changeable) passes, the electronic device may make thepop-up window 2660 disappear.

When the pop-up window 2660 disappears, the electronic device may changea content display mode of an application screen. For example, theelectronic device displays, on the application screen 2650,hardware-decoded content 2652, rather than software-decoded content2651.

When the pop-up window 2660 disappears, the electronic device maydisplay, on the application screen 2650, the hardware-decoded content2652 together with separate text “H/W Decoding” 2652 a, rather thansoftware-decoded content 2651. The separate text may have transparency.The separate text may be displayed to be superposed on thehardware-decoded content 2652.

In addition, for content that does not support hardware decoding (e.g.,content encoded through H.264, WMV, or the like), the electronic devicemay display, on the application screen, a pop-up window corresponding tothe non-support for the hardware decoding. The user may select one of acancel button, a software decoding maintenance button, and a settingbutton that are included in the pop-up window.

When the detected battery consumption exceeds the preset thresholdlogical battery capacity, the electronic device may also change thecontent display mode of the application screen, without displaying thepop-up window 2660.

In addition, when the user selects the Setting button 2660 c of thepop-up window 2660, the controller may receive a user selection ofanother content display mode (e.g., a screen brightness change mode, notillustrated) as described in step S2506 of FIG. 25 and illustrated inFIG. 27G.

When the other content display mode is changed by the user, thecontroller may display the screen of FIG. 26B again.

When the user selects the OK button 2660 b of the pop-up window 2660 onthe screen illustrated in FIG. 26B, the electronic device may apply theother content display mode (e.g., the screen brightness change mode, notillustrated) changed through the setting button 2660 c to theapplication screen.

As illustrated in FIG. 27D, the logical battery capacity of theassignment level 2732 may be the same as the threshold logical batterycapacity of the threshold level 2733.

When the detected battery consumption exceeds the preset logical batterycapacity (or the preset threshold logical battery capacity), theelectronic device may display a pop-up window indicating that thelogical battery capacity of the application has been exceeded and changethe content display mode of the application screen.

In addition, when the detected battery consumption exceeds the presetlogical battery capacity (or the preset threshold logical batterycapacity), the electronic device may change the content display mode ofthe application screen, without displaying the pop-up window.

The consumption of the logical battery assigned to the video player isreduced through the hardware decoding mode 2735 b so that the videoplayer can be executed for a longer period of time than usual. Further,the battery consumption of the electronic device is reduced through thehardware decoding mode 2735 b so that the mobile phone can be used for alonger period of time than usual.

In addition, the electronic device may provide, to the user, feedbackcorresponding to the change of the content display mode of theapplication screen. The feedback may be provided to the user using oneof visual feedback, auditory feedback, and tactile feedback. Theelectronic device may provide, to the user, one of the visual feedback,the auditory feedback, and the tactile feedback or a combinationthereof.

Through the visual feedback, a visual effect (e.g., a separate image oran animation effect applied thereto, such as fading) corresponding tothe change of the content display mode of the application screen may bedisplayed to be distinguishable from the displayed application screen2600.

The auditory feedback, e.g., a sound corresponding to the change of thecontent display mode of the application screen, may be output throughthe speaker 163.

The tactile feedback may be output through the vibration motor 164 tocorrespond to the change of the content display mode of the applicationscreen.

The feedback may be maintained from when the at least one pop-up window2610 is displayed to when the content display mode of the applicationscreen is changed.

In an environment setting of the electronic device, the user may alsoselect and/or change the feedback (e.g., at least one of visualfeedback, auditory feedback, and tactile feedback) corresponding to thechange of the content display mode of the application screen.

The user may input and/or change a feedback providing time (e.g., 700msec, changeable) for which at least one piece of feedback is providedto the user.

When the content display mode of the application screen is changed asdescribed in step S2450 of FIG. 24, the content display method of theelectronic device is completed.

The above-described methods according to embodiments of the presentinvention may be implemented in a form of program commands executedthrough various computer devices to be recorded in a computer readablemedium. The computer readable medium may include a program command, adata file, a data structure, and the like independently or incombination. Software may be stored, for example, in a volatile ornon-volatile storage device such as a Read Only Memory (ROM), a memorysuch as a Random Access Memory (RAM), a memory chip, a memory device, ora memory Integrated Circuit (IC), or a storage medium that is opticallyor magnetically recordable and simultaneously machine (for example, acomputer)-readable, such as a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital VersatileDisc (DVD), a magnetic disk, or a magnetic tape, regardless of itsability to be erased or re-recorded.

It can be seen that a memory which may be included in the electronicdevice corresponds to an example of the storage medium suitable forstoring a program or programs including instructions by which theembodiments of the present invention are realized. The program commandrecorded in the medium may be things specially designed and configuredfor the present invention, or things that are well known to and can beused by those skilled in the computer software related art.

Although the present invention has been described by the restrictedembodiments and the drawings as described above, the present inventionis not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and variousmodifications and alterations can be made from the descriptions by thoseskilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the following claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A content display method of an electronic device, the content display method comprising: storing information on a hardware decoding mode of an application based on a selection of the hardware decoding mode from among a plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data; displaying a screen associated with the application; and changing a decoding mode of the application to the hardware decoding mode, in response to a detected battery consumption of the application exceeding a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, wherein the plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data comprise a software decoding mode and the hardware decoding mode.
 2. The content display method of claim 1, further comprising storing application battery assignment information including a name of the application, a logical battery capacity assigned to the application, and the threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, wherein the logical battery capacity of the application is greater than or equal to the threshold logical battery capacity of the application.
 3. The content display method of claim 1, wherein changing the decoding mode of the application to the hardware decoding, mode comprises displaying a pop-up window indicating that the battery consumption of the application has exceeded the threshold logical battery capacity.
 4. The content display method of claim 3, further comprising changing a setting of the decoding mode of the application using the pop-up window.
 5. The content display method of claim 1, wherein changing the decoding mode comprises: hardware decoding the application.
 6. The content display method of claim 1, further comprising storing another application battery assignment information including a name of another application, another logical battery capacity assigned to the another application, another threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the another application, and another decoding mode change, which are different than the name of the application, the logical battery capacity assigned to the application, the threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, and the decoding mode change.
 7. The content display method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of an icon corresponding to the logical battery capacity and an icon corresponding to the threshold logical battery capacity.
 8. The content display method of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the icon corresponding to the logical battery capacity and the icon corresponding to the threshold logical battery capacity are displayed on a status bar of the electronic device.
 9. The content display method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one of a visual feedback, an auditory feedback, and a tactile feedback, in response to changing the decoding mode.
 10. An electronic device comprising: a memory; a touch screen; and a processor configured to: store, in the memory, information on a hardware decoding mode of an application based on a selection of the hardware decoding mode from among a plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data associated with the application; control the touch screen to display a screen associated with the application; and change a decoding mode of the application to the hardware decoding mode, in response to a calculated battery consumption of the application exceeding a threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, wherein the plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data comprise a software decoding mode and the hardware decoding mode.
 11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to store, in the memory, application battery assignment information including a name of the application, a logical battery capacity assigned to the application, and the threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, wherein the logical battery capacity of the application is greater than or equal to the threshold logical battery capacity of the application.
 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to store, in the memory, another application battery assignment information including a name of another application, another logical battery capacity assigned to the another application, another threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the another application, and another second decoding mode, which are different than the name of the application, the logical battery capacity assigned to the application, the threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application, and the decoding mode change.
 13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to control the touch screen to display at least one of an icon corresponding to the logical battery capacity and an icon corresponding to the threshold logical battery capacity.
 14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the icon corresponding to the logical battery capacity and the icon corresponding to the threshold logical battery capacity are displayed on a status bar of the electronic device.
 15. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect a voltage of the electronic device, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the battery consumption of the application using the voltage detected by the detection unit.
 16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the calculated battery consumption of the application with at least one of the logical battery capacity assigned to the application and the threshold logical battery capacity assigned to the application.
 17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to change the decoding mode by changing decoding of the application into hardware decoding.
 18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to provide at least one of a visual feedback and a tactile feedback, in response to the processor changing the decoding mode.
 19. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a speaker configured to provide an auditory feedback, in response to the processor changing the decoding mode.
 20. A content display method of an electronic device, the content display method comprising: storing information on a hardware decoding mode of an application based on a selection of the hardware decoding mode from among a plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data associated with the application; displaying a screen associated with the application in the electronic device; and changing the decoding mode of the application to the hardware decoding mode, in response to a detected battery consumption of the application exceeding the logical battery capacity, wherein the logical battery capacity of the application is the same as the threshold logical battery capacity of the application, and wherein the plurality of decoding modes for video data or audio data comprise a software decoding mode and the hardware decoding mode. 